


Out of Place

by icarusmoon



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Moon Powers Rapunzel (Disney), Moonstone!Rapunzel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:53:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25158811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icarusmoon/pseuds/icarusmoon
Summary: When Rapunzel gains the power of the Moonstone, she wreaks havoc throughout the castle. Concerned for the safety of the kingdom, her parents send her to a secluded tower at the edge of Corona. Suddenly, the whole world is afraid of her, and she doubts she will ever learn how to control the Moonstone.That is, until Flynn Rider comes along.
Relationships: Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel
Comments: 18
Kudos: 37





	1. Prologue: Stardust

**Author's Note:**

> Moonstone AUs have my heart, so I'm finally sharing this one. Much love to the Fitzfam Discord server, because y'all gave me tons of encouragement and feedback; @eugeneismyqueen, who listens to me ramble about all my fic plans and was kind enough to give me a summary and a title; and @putanauhere, who is a freakin' genius and helped me work out the story details I suck at. 
> 
> Thanks for reading, and enjoy! <3

It didn’t look like a stone. 

That was Rapunzel’s first thought, all those years ago. She had seen plenty of stones. Hundreds of them. They were grey or black, and sometimes they sparkled in the sunlight. They were interesting, she supposed, in their own right—she did enjoy studying geology—but none of them were like this. 

She had been shocked by the sight of it. It was bright and beautiful and as blue as the sky. It didn’t need to reflect light; it shone of its own accord. 

It couldn’t be a stone. It had to be a star. 

She just wanted to _touch_ it. To grab that piece of stardust that had fallen to earth. 

The star wasn’t like anything Rapunzel imagined. It was painful and powerful and unbearable. It was _bad,_ like a curse from one of her storybooks. 

Rapunzel returned to the castle, panicked and guilt-stricken. She begged for help, but the king and queen had no answers for their daughter.

They could not tell her why the stone had seemed to lodge itself into Rapunzel’s heart, or why her brown hair had turned a deep blue. They had never even _heard_ of this magical stone that glowed like the moon. 

But they saw starlight crackle under Rapunzel’s fingertips. They saw sharp black rocks burst through the marble floor, determined to destroy everything in their path. They saw a rock break through the wall, forcing the captain of the guard to the ground. 

The stone was more than mere stardust. 

And Rapunzel would pay the price.


	2. Trapped

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hi, Pascal.”
> 
> The lizard gave another squeak, and she scooped him up as she sat and leaned against her bed frame. 
> 
> “I’ve been here for ten years, Pascal,” Rapunzel said softly. “It feels like a lifetime.”
> 
>  _Squeak_.
> 
> “I still don’t know how to control the Moonstone,” she continued, looking around the room. “I’m still...dangerous.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first official (non-prologue) chapter is here! HUGEHUGEHUGE thanks again to various members of the Fitzfam Discord server for giving this chapter an early read. There are too many of you to name (and I don't want to forget anyone!), but thank you so much for giving this story so much love.
> 
> Special shout out to @PurpleReine for helping me work out how Rapunzel gets food in a world where Gothel doesn't exist; @putanauhere for the letter idea; and @eugeneismyqueen for the title/summary/giving this a last proofread/accidentally becoming a beta. <3 I love you all dearly.

Rapunzel hadn’t always dreaded her birthday.

If she hadn’t been exiled and imprisoned for a crime she had not meant to commit, her birthday would have been cause for celebration. She had vague memories of grand parties with lanterns and cake, of painting murals on her bedroom wall. But if the tallies etched on her tower walls were correct—and she was sure they were, as there wasn’t much to do but keep track of time—the next day was her eighteenth birthday.

And no one celebrated the Moonstone Princess.

Rapunzel sighed and flopped on her bed, staring at the bare ceiling. She suddenly wished she could paint; black and grey bricks got a little old after a while. Sometimes she drew on the walls with the pencil she used to track each day, but it wasn’t the same. Her fingers itched to hold a paintbrush again. She longed to fill her prison with color.

But paints were off-limits. Rapunzel was to be kept alive; she wasn’t supposed to _live_. There was a difference, she thought bitterly. As far as the king and queen were concerned, the real Rapunzel had died long ago. She was a means to an end; an heir who happened to be a monster.

A monster with powers she still didn’t understand. A monster who was nowhere close to being free.

A tiny chirp interrupted her thoughts. Her gaze flickered to her pillow, where a small green chameleon was looking at her dolefully.

“Hi, Pascal.”

The lizard gave another squeak, and she scooped him up as she sat and leaned against her bed frame.

“I’ve been here for ten years, Pascal,” Rapunzel said softly. “It feels like a lifetime.”

_Squeak _.__

“I still don’t know how to control the Moonstone,” she continued, looking around the room. “I’m still...dangerous.”

Pascal frowned and shook his head. Sometimes Rapunzel wondered if the lizard really understood her, or if she was simply imagining his expressions as some sort of defense mechanism. It wasn’t as if she had much of a social life; a handmaiden was sent to deliver food every day, and sometimes there were letters from the king and queen.

But the servants kept their distance. They used a pulley and rope to deliver food. The accompanying letters weren’t exactly filled with warm wishes, either—just scraps of information her parents thought were relevant to the Moonstone’s power.

They were always wrong, of course. Nothing helped. The tower was proof of that: black rocks rose up from the floor and walls, creating a labyrinth of spikes that changed every day. Sometimes Rapunzel controlled when they appeared; usually, the Moonstone got the best of her, and they appeared out of nowhere. If there was a secret behind it all, she had yet to discover it. If she happened to injure herself in the process—well, a few cuts and bruises were worth it to set herself free.

Pascal, at least, had seemed to avoid being hurt. The little chameleon had somehow found his way to her tower, not long after she’d been locked up. They’d been best friends ever since. Her only friend, really.

Maybe she was imagining his existence, too.

Even so, she gave Pascal a small kiss. He turned a brilliant shade of purple—her favorite color—and grinned up at her. “Thanks, Pascal,” she said softly. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. Even if you are imaginary.”

Pascal changed back to green and scowled.

Rapunzel laughed. “Well, can you blame me for wondering?”

He considered this for a moment, then gave a sympathetic chirp as he climbed up on her shoulder, settling in for what Rapunzel not-so-lovingly thought of as her training sessions. She made a face. “Already?”

_Squeak._

“I’m starting to think it’s pointless.”

Pascal made a face and used his tail to point at the rocks. Rapunzel sighed, but stood and walked towards her usual spot on the other side of the room, cursing as her long hair got caught in a cluster of rocks.

That was another thing she dreamed about: cutting her damn hair.

She took her place and stared at each imposing spike. They had an eerie glow to them in the fading sunlight. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to ignore the violent pounding of her heart and the Moonstone’s pulsing blue light. She extended one hand, focusing all her energy on the Moonstone.

“I’ve got this,” Rapunzel whispered. “I’ve got this. I’ve—”

Pascal gave a sudden screech and stuck his tongue in her ear. Her eyes snapped open, and she winced, rubbing her ear against her shoulder. “Pascal, what—”

The chameleon squeaked, pointing again with his tail. Rapunzel turned, only to find that her companion wasn’t worried about the rocks. Standing next to her tower window was a man wearing a satchel, looking utterly bewildered. Rapunzel let out a yelp and jumped back, her eyes darting across the room in search of some sort of weapon. The thought of needing to defend herself made her panic. Were there people looking for her? Was he sent to kill her?

“Stay back!” she yelled. “I’m warning you!”

The stranger held his hands in the air, as though to prove he was innocent. “I know what this looks like,” he began, his gaze flickering from Rapunzel to her trail of blue hair to the mess of spiked rocks. “But if you just—”

Before he could finish speaking, Rapunzel squeezed her eyes shut and extended her hand once more, willing the rocks to protect her. A series of loud clangs echoed throughout the tower, and she realized her powers were actually working.

When Rapunzel opened her eyes, the intruder was trapped behind a cage of intersecting rocks. For once, she felt as though the Moonstone was on her side. She laughed in triumph and beamed down at Pascal, who was staring at their prisoner with his mouth open.

“Really? All that to escape, and now I’m trapped behind these spike things? _Really_?”

Rapunzel grinned, her relief giving way to a sort of confidence. “Ha! Maybe you should have thought twice before trying to attack the Moonstone Princess.”

“What are you _talking_ about? If you just listen—”

“Oh, I’m listening,” Rapunzel interrupted. “Who are you? And how did you find me?”


	3. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You mean you don’t even know how your own stone works?” Flynn asked, raising an eyebrow. It was an odd realization, considering the fact she had effortlessly conjured rocks to create his cage. He thought she was in control. 
> 
> Maybe she was just scared. 
> 
> The princess studied him carefully. “You don’t know who I am, either.”
> 
> It wasn’t a question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is finally here! Huuuuge thank you @eugeneismyqueen for being my unofficial-turned-official beta, and for coming up with with such a perfect chapter title. ❤️ Thanks for being the best partner in crime.

Flynn was used to being chased by the law. He even enjoyed it from time to time. It made things interesting, at least. 

But in all his years of being a wanted thief, Flynn had never been actually _caught_. Or imprisoned, for that matter. He tried pushing a rock out of his way, even going so far as punching it, but it didn’t budge. He’d have to figure out another way to escape, or else convince the strange woman to let him go. Maybe he could seduce her. That usually worked. 

If he hadn’t been so frustrated, he would have been impressed. She wasn’t even a guard. Just the Moonstone Princess. 

Whatever the hell that meant. 

Flynn paused to take in his surroundings. The tower was dark, covered in the same spikes that currently imprisoned him. Hundreds of tally marks covered a wall near what he assumed was the princess’s bed. There was no other furniture; nothing else that indicated the tower was someone’s home. If he hadn’t seen the rocks magically appear, he would have assumed they were a leftover relic from long ago. 

Maybe calling it a home was a bit generous. 

But Flynn’s captor—this princess—was the strangest part of all. 

The first thing he noticed was her hair. The color couldn’t have been natural; it was a deep blueish-black, as though it had been magically dyed by the night sky. Her hair was also easily seventy feet long, tangled up in the rocks in a way that made Flynn wince. Why didn’t she just get a haircut? 

Then, there was the stone—the Moonstone, he figured. It sat right above the princess’s heart, emitting a soft blue glow that reminded him of starlight. It made her look powerful, almost foreboding, as she took a step closer. “I’m going to ask you again,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “Who are you, and _how did you find me?_ ”

Oh, right. The interrogation. 

“Find you?” Flynn asked, raising an eyebrow. “I wasn’t even _looking_ for you. I saw a tower; I climbed it. End of story.”

The princess glared at him. “And who are you?”

God, she was persistent. Why did it even _matter_? He rolled his eyes. “The name’s—wait. You don’t know who I am?” 

“Should I?” she asked, frowning slightly. She glanced down at the tiny green creature on her shoulder, who scowled.

“Those wanted posters really do not do this face justice,” he muttered. He cocked his head. “You really don’t recognize me?”

The princess shook her head. She looked like she was trying not to laugh, and it was oddly endearing. Hmm. Maybe he could flirt his way to freedom after all. 

He would have liked to see her smile, though.

“I don’t get out much,” she finally said. 

“That’s disappointing.” 

Flynn hoped she would laugh at that, but she just scoffed. “It’s not like I _chose_ to be locked up—”

“No, I mean I work very hard to maintain my reputation.” He winked and shot her a brilliant smile.

The princess just stared.

Well. _That_ was new. 

“Nothing?” 

“Nothing what?” 

Flynn lowered his head, and when he came back to meet her gaze, his lips were puckered and his eyebrows were quirked up in a way he knew women found attractive. 

“What are you doing?” 

That was also new. He had never met anyone who could resist the smolder. _No one._ Her apathy was a serious blow to his ego, but he didn’t have time to be offended. He relaxed his face and sighed, trying to think of a different tactic. “I’m flirting,” he said. He leaned forward to rest his forehead on one of the rocks and gazed up at her through his lashes. “Is it working?” 

The corners of her lips twitched, like she was still trying not to laugh. “Not exactly. And I still don’t know who you are.”

“My name’s Flynn Rider.” 

It was funny how that no longer felt like a lie. 

“And why are you here?” the princess continued. 

Flynn shrugged. “I needed a hideout. I’m a wanted thief in—” he paused to count on his fingers—“Four different kingdoms. That I know of. I finished a job, saw the tower, and thought it’d be the perfect place to lay low for a while. I didn’t expect—you know.” He gestured to his cage and the rest of the tower. “All this.”

The princess softened at this. Her eyes grew wide with wonder, as though she had been hoping to meet a thief on the run. “You’re...running away?”

“‘Away’ implies I have a place to leave, but sure. I’m running away.” 

Another rock shot through the floor. Flynn jumped at the movement, and looked back at her with a puzzled expression. 

“What _are_ these things, anyway?” 

“Rocks,” she said flatly. 

“I know _that_. But why are they all…”

She glared at him.

“...freaky?” he finished. 

“I don’t know,” she said. “It’s just what the Moonstone does.” 

“Aren’t you the _Moonstone_ Princess?” 

“Yes.” 

“You mean you don’t even know how your own stone works?” Flynn asked, raising an eyebrow. It was an odd realization, considering the fact she had effortlessly conjured rocks to create his cage. He thought she was in control. 

Maybe she was just scared. 

The princess studied him carefully. “You don’t know who I am, either.”

It wasn’t a question. 

“Um,” Flynn said. “I guess we’ve established you’re the Moonstone Princess.”

“Do you know my name?” 

He shook his head.

“Rapunzel.”

Rapunzel. _Rapunzel_ . Was she _actually_ a princess? Flynn racked his brain, trying to remember any stories he had heard about a Moonstone Princess named Rapunzel. Her name might have been whispered at a long-forgotten pub, or maybe the Stabbingtons had mentioned her before he had ransacked the castle. If that had been the case, he hadn’t paid attention. Besides, being wanted in four kingdoms kept him pretty busy. 

Even if he _had_ heard of her, he wasn’t sure he would have the heart to tell her the truth. Lies came so easily to him; he just had to find the right moment. The right words.

Words had always come easily to him, too. That’s all lies were. Words. 

“Doesn’t ring a bell.”

“So...you aren’t here to hurt me?” Rapunzel asked, taking another step closer. 

Flynn scoffed. “Why would I want to hurt you?” 

Rapunzel laughed and gestured to his cage. “Because I’m dangerous.”

Flynn was right: she had a nice smile. Beautiful, he thought, even if there was no joy behind it. She was so close that Flynn noticed her eyes were green. He could see the freckles scattered across her nose and cheeks. It was kind of adorable—so adorable that, despite Rapunzel’s power, it was hard to believe she was a threat. And she just looked so damn _hopeful_. Like her life had been defined by disappointments, and Flynn was the only person who hadn’t let her down. 

“Nah,” Flynn said, waving a hand dismissively. He was irritated about being trapped, but he had been in worse situations. 

Probably. 

“I think you were just trying to protect yourself,” he continued. That, at least, was true. 

Rapunzel bit her lip. “Sorry,” she muttered. “I panicked.”

Flynn wasn’t sure why she was apologizing. He would have done the same thing. “Well,” he said, hoping his tone would lighten the mood, “Now that we’ve established I’m not here to hurt you...can you let me out?”

Rapunzel blinked in surprise. “O-out?

“Is that a problem?” Flynn asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Rapunzel winced and ran a hand through her dark hair. “Umm...well. The thing is...I don’t really know how.”

Flynn stared. “What do you mean, you don’t know how? 

“It was an accident. I didn’t mean to make a cage. It just….happened.” 

Well, that did seem a _bit_ dangerous. 

“And...you don’t know how to reverse it?”

Rapunzel shook her head, then whispered to the reptile on her shoulder. 

“Does the frog have any ideas?” Flynn asked, deadpan. 

“Pascal’s a chameleon,” she replied, rolling her eyes. “And—” she paused, as though listening to Pascal’s response. “No. He doesn’t.”

Flynn held the bridge of his nose. This was just his luck. She hadn’t even been _trying_ to lock him up. Any guard would pay good money to have her powers, and they wouldn’t even think twice about the consequences. “Good to know. Listen, Rapunzel. I don’t really want to be stuck in here forever. It seems like a nice place and all, but—”

“It’s not.” 

“Can you at least try?” Flynn finished. He was close to begging, which wasn’t a good look for him. 

The princess bit her lip. “I could really hurt you.”

“That didn’t stop you before,” he pointed out. 

“That was before!” Rapunzel protested. “I thought you were dangerous!”

“And now you don’t. By that logic, you should be able to let me go.”

Rapunzel didn’t answer. She suddenly seemed so small and scared. 

“Listen,” Flynn said quietly, “You have to try.”

“I—”

“Try.”

“I can’t!”

“Why? Do you think you’ll kill me or something?”

His comment was supposed to make her laugh, or at least roll her eyes. He didn’t expect to strike a nerve. He didn’t expect Rapunzel to back away and cover her face with her hands. Clusters of tiny rocks started to push their way through the floor, making them both flinch. 

“Flynn, you don’t—”

“Rapunzel. _Try_ ,” he said desperately. He pushed down his guilt, telling himself he’d apologize later. The sharp rocks were getting bigger, coming closer to his cage. He wasn’t sure when—or where—they would stop. 

“ _Now_ , Rapunzel!” 

Rapunzel took a deep breath, held out her hands, and squeezed her eyes shut. “Come on,” she whispered. “Come on, come on, come on—”

Flynn ducked as the rocks holding him captive suddenly burst apart. The explosion echoed throughout the tower, and a thick layer of dust covered his head and shoulders. He coughed violently, and his eyes watered from the wreckage, but he was free. 

“Oh my god,” Rapunzel whispered. “I did it. I did it!”

Flynn coughed again and shook out his hair. “Good job, Princess,” he said, grinning at her. “Thanks.” 

Rapunzel smiled, and this time, it reached her eyes. A slight blush tinted her cheeks. “You’re welcome.”

He had a feeling she hadn’t been thanked very much. The thought made him feel slightly nauseous; even he had been exposed to basic human decency. How long had she been in this tower, anyway? 

_It’s not like I_ chose _to be locked up,_ she had said. 

Locked up. She was being punished for something. 

Flynn swallowed thickly, trying to keep his horror at bay. He had never been to prison, but he knew enough ex-cons to understand he never wanted to go. 

And Rapunzel’s tower seemed worse. 

He nodded towards what was left of the rocks. “I’m assuming people are scared of you because of this whole spiky rock thing?”

“That’s the gist,” she said. Her smile faltered slightly. 

“And Corona didn’t want you as a guard?” 

Rapunzel snorted. “The kingdom _definitely_ doesn’t want me as a guard.” 

“Maybe they would after they found out you were able to imprison me.” 

“ _Accidentally_ imprison you,” Rapunzel reminded him. 

Flynn shrugged. “It still counts,” he said, frowning as he searched the room for an easy exit. He didn’t really feel like climbing again. “But seriously, you’d—”

He paused. The kingdom was afraid of Rapunzel, and _he_ wanted the kingdom to be afraid of him. 

Hmmm. 

“How do you feel about protecting a wanted thief on the run?” he asked suddenly. 

“Wha—what?”

“The guards don’t want to come near you, right? You could help me out.”

Rapunzel looked down at Pascal and shrugged. “But how would I help?”

“I just stole a lot of items that some very important people will miss,” Flynn said, holding up his satchel. “And I don’t want to get arrested. You can do the rock thing and keep the guards away from me.” 

“I don’t—” 

“Aw, come on. I know you want to get out of here.”

“That doesn’t mean I should.” 

Flynn shrugged again. “Suit yourself,” he said, making his way towards the window. “It just doesn’t seem like this tower is doing you any favors.” 

He didn’t know much about the tower, of course. 

But he hadn’t become Flynn Rider for nothing. Rapunzel was staring at him with wide eyes, as though everything he had said was true. He had barely taken a step outside before she stopped him. 

“Wait!” she said. She pulled her hair back and bit her lip. “I’m coming.”


End file.
